Not Your Little Dove
by LittleD0ve
Summary: After escaping the clutches of Ramsay Bolton, Sansa sails south with Brienne and Podrick to find Daenerys Targaryen. Sansa wants a hand in helping her to destroy the people who destroyed her family. Hardened by her experiences, she is determined to be her own player in this game, and to not be used as a pawn anymore. She doesn't bank on finding a piece of her past. Sansa/Tyrion
1. Chapter 1

SANSA

"Jump, Now!" she heard Theon shout. Hand in hand, they leapt into the snow below. That was the last thing Sansa could remember. Not the fall, not the landing, not how she ended up in this bed.

She sat bolt upright in terror when she realized that she should definitely not be in a warm bed. She should be running far away from the Bolton's, far from Winterfell. Terrified, she looked around the room, expecting to see the stony walls of her bedchambers or worse, Ramsay waiting for her with that evil smirk on his face.

To her surprise, the walls were made of logs, and the linens were certainly not those found in a place such as Winterfell. _I must be in some inn. But how did I get here?_ Before she could finish her thought, the door opened slowly. She nearly leapt from the bed when she saw her visitor. "Podrick!" That's when she noticed the pulsing pain in her right leg. "Ah! Ouch. Pod, what happened? How did I get here? Where is Theon?" Pod approached the bed and advised her to lie against the cushions. "Hush milady. You've had a nasty fall. All your questions will be answered in due time." At that moment, Brienne entered. "Lady Sansa! Welcome back. It is so good to see you awake. Are you hungry?" _I'm ravenous, actually. But I need answers._ "Yes, thank you. What happened?" Pod left to fetch ale, bread, cheese, sausage and a platter of various fruits. As Sansa ate, Brienne and Pod explained.

"We watched day and night for your signal, Lady Stark. When the battle with Stannis' army was drawing to an end, I realized that this would be the perfect opportunity to rescue you from the Bolton's. I know you said you needed no assistance from me, milady, but I felt I must at least check on you. We made our way towards the castle while the Bolton army was still fighting; when we saw you jump from the wall with another person. We raced as fast as we could, fearing that you had intentionally jumped to your death. You were unconscious but breathing when we reached you. Your leg was clearly broken but you seemed otherwise unharmed. Your companion had broken your fall, I'm afraid, and did not survive"

"Theon is dead?" Sansa interrupted. "You're sure?" She wasn't sure how to feel about this. She wasn't angry with him anymore, that much was certain. Though he betrayed her family, he was not guilty of murdering her two little brothers, and he saved her life twice in one day. She wasn't sad, exactly. She knew that Theon was but a shell of who he once was. Perhaps he finally found peace in death.

"I'm sorry, Sansa. There was no question of it. As I said, we found you in your condition, put you on my horse and rode as far South as fast as we could. In truth we had no idea where to go, but we knew the North would hold no safe haven for you. We can't go to King's Landing, that much is obvious, or to the Vale. We believe that the only viable option is to get a on a ship and cross the Narrow Sea. There are rumours of a Targaryen queen with three dragons who plans to overthrow the Baratheon's and reclaim her crown. I think we may be safer on that side of the world, rather than here when that time comes."

Sansa took a minute to absorb all this information. Brienne was right, of course. She had heard the rumors herself. Her sense of self-preservation had not failed her yet, and she knew what must be done.

"I agree. We'll sail to the free cities. I wish to meet Daenerys Stormborn and offer my services where they may be needed." Brienne and Podrick stared at her, mouths ajar. They were obviously not expecting _that_ reaction. "If she plans to reclaim her throne and kill those who murdered my family and made my life a living hell for the past three years, I wish to help her. Not hide in the desert and watch from a distance" she continued, "I've done enough watching and being used as a pawn in this damned game. I want to play my own part, on my own terms." She set her jaw determinedly and stared at them both in defiance. When neither spoke, she said "Look, I know you made a promise to return me safely to my family. But who is left to return me to? My father and mother are both dead, as is Robb, all at the hand of the Lannister's. Arya is missing, Bran and Rickon too. I have no one. The Queen could offer her protection in exchange for our service."

After many moments of stunned silence, Pod finally spoke. "I agree." He looked nervously at Brienne, who gave him a surprised look, before continuing. "She speaks the truth. What else would we do when we arrive south? We barely have enough money to sail there, let alone live. I think Sansa makes perfect sense." Satisfied, Sansa looked at Brienne expectantly. With a huge sigh, she finally nodded. "Fine, I cannot think of a better idea. Podrick, go make travel arrangements. Do not use our real names, obviously." As Pod left the room, she continued, "Sansa, I cannot promise a feather bed aboard this ship". Sansa laughed without humour. "A vomit and shit covered floor is heavenly, compared to sharing a feather bed with Ramsay Bolton" she said with bile rising in her throat. Brienne smiled sympathetically. She did not know exactly what had transpired during the young girl's marriage, but by the looks of her, she had a good idea and was not about to ask. "I'll leave you to rest and eat milady. I will be back when the travel plans have been confirmed". She made to leave the room when Sansa stopped her. "Thank you, lady Brienne, for everything. You're braver than any man or knight I've ever met." Brienne gave a small smile, nodded, and said "I'm not a lady", before leaving Sansa with her thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is a little short, but I felt there were some loose ends that needed tying, without describing every second of their journey across the Narrow Sea.**

BRIENNE

A knock on the door woke her from a light sleep. There was no other kind of rest for her these days, especially on a rocking ship. "You may enter", she called. Podrick peeked into the room with a wide grin, "We've reached the shore milady; shall I fetch Sansa?" _Finally, dry land!_ The swaying motions of the small boat had not been pleasant in the past weeks, and Brienne would happily kiss the sands of Mereen. "Yes, Pod. Tell her to get her things together and that we will arrive shortly."

The trip hadn't been so bad, really. They had waited a week to depart for the south, simply to rest and to allow for Sansa's leg to heal. She hadn't realized that she had been unconscious for a week before she woke. Leg still splinted, Pod had carried her aboard the small ship and found a comfortable enough spot for her to rest for the duration of their journey.

By the end of the month of travel, Sansa was able to walk. The break in her leg was small and healed very quickly and neatly. _Thank the Gods._ _I do not want to have to carry her through the streets of Mereen._ She went up the deck and saw the young girl staring towards the shore. Her face was unreadable; not sad, not happy. _She was lost in some far away land, deep in her thoughts._ _I wonder how she managed to survive all of this, all by herself._ She suddenly felt more awe than pity towards the Stark girl.

An hour later, they were trekking through the marketplace in Mereen. It was ridiculously hot for what they were wearing. Clearly they had come from the deep north, with their many layers and long sleeves. _Let's hope this queen will honor us with a bath. That, or I will kindly offer her my head; anything to get out of this bloody hotness._ She still could not believe where she was. They were going to beg the Queen of dragons for mercy and offer their services. Brienne, who had served a usurper, Renly Baratheon, Podrick, who had served the Lannister's, and Sansa Stark, whose father helped to overthrow the Targaryen's. _Let's hope this mother of dragons is not one to hold grudges,_ she thought bitterly.

"Is that where we're going?" Sansa asked, looking at the enormous edifice standing above all the other houses, somewhere in the distance. Podrick looked up as well before answering "Yes, I imagine that's where she'll be". They should be there just before sundown, if her calculations were correct; which they usually were. She'd been travelling long enough to estimate time passing by the sun's movements. Thought it seemed that the sun was in the sky much longer in the south. She grew more nervous with each step they took, but knew this was the only option for their survival.

They were no more than an hour's walk from the palace when they heard a voice from inside a small tavern. "Tarth, Payne, and Stark; an odd grouping indeed". Brienne turned towards the speaker, sword already drawn. Podrick unsheathed his own dagger and stood protectively in front of Sansa, who looked nothing more than curious. Sansa's eyes went as wide as apples before she exclaimed "Lord Varys!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Yay! Finally! In case you couldn't tell, I'm totally shipping Sansa and Tyrion. So there will be a lot of that in this story. I've never really written any adventure-like at all, so I'm excited to try this blend of writing. Thank you for reading.**

SANSA

"Lord Varys!" She said again. "What are you doing in Mereen?" she asked. Varys stepped out of the tavern, obviously unbothered by the extreme temperature. He was wearing his usual attire, albeit in a much lighter fabric. He gave a small smile and bowed politely to Sansa, not looking at Brienne or Podrick for the time being. "I should ask you the same, Lady Stark;" he started, "what are you doing so far from home?" Sansa made a disgusted sound with her nose and mouth. "And to which home are you referring Lord Varys?" She asked with mocked sweetness, "Winterfell? King's Landing? I just cannot keep track these days". The Spider smiled without humour, obviously sympathetic. "Either way, my dear, you are very far from Westeros. I understand you wish to see our Queen, Daenerys?" Before Sansa could answer, Brienne interrupted. "And just how do you know that, Eunuch?" With a wink, he replied "There are little birds everywhere, Brienne of Tarth". Come inside, please. I would like to speak with you all before you meet with the Queen".

Once inside the tavern, Varys directed them to a private room in the back. There were pitchers of water, milk, and Dornish wine. "Please, help yourselves. I sent for some nourishment for you also, it should be here any minute. While we're waiting, why don't we start with why you're all together and on your way to our dear Queen?" Sansa looked at Brienne and Podrick for help, Brienne simply nodded in ascension to Sansa, approving the question.

Without going into unnecessary detail, Sansa told them all everything. How she was "saved" from Joffrey's wedding by Little Finger. She talked about her new persona, Alayne, her insane aunt Lysa, and how she was ultimately forced into marriage with Roose Bolton's legitimized bastard, Ramsay. She spoke of his cruelness towards everyone, including herself. "I was locked in our bedroom day and night. He would only let me out to show me the body of someone he's tortured and killed because of me, or if we were expected at a function. I was nothing more than a contract he signed in order to gain Winterfell. Torturing me was just for fun" she added bitterly. Close to tears, she concluded the story with her escape with the help of Theon and let Brienne and Podrick take care of telling the rest of the events.

Varys was studying them all when the food arrived. It was a bountiful platter of seasonal fruits, sausage, soft cheeses and biscuits. With as much control as they could muster, they dug in. _I wonder what he's really doing here,_ she thought to herself. _Is he helping the Queen, too? Is he here spying for Cersei? For Lord Baelish?_ The thought made her choke on the biscuit she'd be chewing. Brienne patted her on the back and expressed her concern. When she was finally able to breathe again, Sansa regarded Varys in the eyes. "Who do you work for, Lord Varys? What is it you plan to do with us?" He smiled and sighed. "I accompanied a friend here. King's Landing was becoming much too dangerous, even for a man as resourceful as me. I had been planning on coming here for a while, on seeking out this Dragon Queen. Circumstances presented themselves and I jumped on board, so to speak. I serve Queen Daenerys Targaryen, First of her name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men -" He was cut off by Brienne again. "Yes, yes we've heard it a thousand times before. Which friend did you accompany here?" Varys did not answer the question, but offered them all a bath and fresh clothing. "Afterwards we shall take my carriage to the palace. After all, you don't want to offend the Queen with dirty clothes and appearances do you?"

Sansa felt a thousand times better already. She sat in front of a big mirror and braided her hair the way she used to wear it in Winterfell when she was younger. She was nearly sixteen now and felt decades older. She wondered if she looked like it. Satisfied with her hair, she studied her reflection in the mirror. The dress that Lord Varys procured her fit her like a glove. Not quite as flashy as the gowns Margaery would wear from High Garden, but nearly as revealing. The soft blue colour accentuated her eyes and the light material clung to her body in the heat. She looked every bit the woman she knew she'd eventually become, only much fiercer. Her eyes had a hardness to them she had never seen there before. _Not hardness, strength. I am a wolf._ She turned and left the room to join the others.

Brienne looked more and less comfortable all at once. She had cooled down considerably, now that she wasn't wearing all her armor. She had tried insisting on wearing it over her clean clothes, but Varys insisted that she mustn't meet the Queen dressed as such. So she sat on the chaise, looking quite unlike herself, in a moss-green gown made from the same light material Sansa's dress was made of. Podrick was wearing a clean off-white shirt and brown pants with matching sandals. Strange attire or not, it was much more preferable to wearing their northern clothes.

The travel party ready, the followed Lord Varys out into the street where a carriage awaited them. Sansa climbed in first, followed by Brienne, Podrick, and finally Lord Varys. They began to move at once. She was looking out the window, thinking of nothing, when a small cough caught her attention. She looked at Lord Varys and noticed that both Brienne and Podrick were fast asleep. "I suppose the travel mixed with a full belly has put them right to sleep" he surmised. Sansa was not fooled. _I bet he put something to knock them unconscious in their drinks. Why not me?_ "Lord Varys, surely there are other ways of speaking to me privately". He laughed heartily. "Sansa Stark. I see there is no fooling you. You've changed so much since we last saw each other." _You have no idea, Spider_. She did not smile or respond, simply looked at him expectedly. He obviously wanted to speak with her about something. "I'm afraid I have some news for you my lady. There is someone in Queen Daenerys' service whom you know, other than me. It is the friend I accompanied here, as I mentioned earlier. I've been wondering whether or not to tell you before you arrived. I gather you've had enough surprises to last you a life time, am I correct?" Sansa wasn't sure. _Who could he possibly surprise me with? My family is either dead or missing. The missing ones are not likely in Mereen, or anywhere near._ Her face went as white as snow when her next guess popped into her mind, "Not Lord Baelish" she nearly begged. "Lord Baelish? Of course not, my dear! Too many people here want him dead, he wouldn't risk it. I won't get your hopes up about your family. There has still been no word on Arya or your brothers." She figured that much. "Then who is it? Tell me." Just as he was about to answer the carriage came to a halt and the door opened. "It seems as though you're about the find out for yourself", he said cheekily.

Like clockwork, Brienne and Podrick woke up as the door opened. They insisted on exiting the carriage before Sansa. As Podrick took his turn he froze. Sansa wondered if there was an enemy here after all, and tensed. Finally, he broke into a smile and walked forward. Curious, Sansa stepped out of the carriage and looked towards the big building. There were a few people waiting outside to greet them, though she could hardly make out any of their features. The sun was in her eyes and she had to use her hand as a visor to see properly. Just as her eyes started to adjust she heard a gasp. She turned towards the sound as it turned into a whispered "Sansa. Is that you?" She couldn't believe what she was saying. He was supposed to be dead, and why was she so relieved to see him? She fell to her knees and began to sob, much to the surprise of her mystery guest, Tyrion Lannister.


	4. Chapter 4

TYRION

 _It can't be. Why is she here? Is she really here? Am I imagining it?_ He hadn't thought of Sansa Stark in weeks. He can't say he never thought about her, though. He thought they had come to like one another in their short, loveless union. They had been kind to each other and understood the kind of pain that only an orphaned girl with no family, and a hated demon-monkey dwarf could know. He understood why she fled, of course. She was given an option to leave safely in the face of chaos. He had been mad at her for abandoning him when he was under trial for the murder of his nephew, but time and collected information helped him see why she chose to run. It was hard to forget that she was naught but fourteen at the time. _You wouldn't know it now_ , he thought as he studied her. He was still confused by her reaction upon seeing him. He didn't know if she was upset that she'd be stuck with him again, or if she was just really happy to see him. _Right, dwarf, that's it. Your long lost wife is dying to be in your arms again._ He shook his head at the painful reminder of what he was. He looked at her again from a distance. She was sitting in the throne room, staring straight ahead, and waiting for the Queen to receive them. Tyrion stood a few feet to the side and could not stop looking at her.

 _She looks the same,_ he thought, _but somehow completely different._ She wasn't any taller than he remembered, but she had definitely grown. In that dress, it was hard to miss the newly filled out chest of a woman, and the curves of her hips. If he thought she was beautiful at fourteen, she was nothing short of glorious now. Yes, he thought about her often during their nearly two years apart. But always as a sad, fleeting memory of one he would never see again. He certainly never expected to be reunited with her here, so far from their homes. He must have been staring at her longer than he thought, because just then she turned and looked right at him. She did not turn away shyly when she caught him watching her, but boldly looked into his eyes. He was unable to look anywhere else, though he should have been embarrassed, probably. Her face was unreadable. The girl he used to be able to read like a book had built up walls stronger than Winterfell's. Surprisingly though, she was not looking at him with disdain, hatred, or disgust. If anything, the look was calculating if maybe a bit sad. He was about to say something when the door behind the throne opened. "All stand for her highness, Queen Daenerys Stormborn, rightful heir to the Iron Throne". Sansa slowly looked away from Tyrion and stood up to greet the queen.

When Daenerys made it in front of the throne, Sansa sunk into a deep curtsy, only rising when the queen was sat. "You may sit, Lady Stark, as may your companions". They did as they were bid and waited for further instruction. "Lord Varys tells me that you are here to offer your services to me. Are you acknowledging that I am the one and only Queen of Westeros?" she was looking directly at Sansa. "Yes, your grace. I lived in the capital for many years, and blood aside, I do believe that you should be the one and only Queen. Those in power now are directly responsible for the deaths of my parents, my brother Robb and the disappearance of my three younger siblings. I've been left with them alone as their ward for over two years and traded like a piece of meat, only to be rescued by Petyr Baelish for him to do the same. I do not believe you are the sort of ruler who would do that to a person" she concluded. She had stolen a glance at Tyrion as she spoke. He hoped his face hadn't given much away. So it was true, then. She was used by Little Finger as much as she was by his father and sister. But at what cost?

"You would be correct in that belief Lady Stark. Is it Stark? I've heard conflicting information in terms of your marital status" she glanced at Tyrion, who avoided her gaze. Sansa blanched slightly, and looked at her feet. "Your grace, I fear I have committed adultery" she began, "I was married to Lord Tyrion Lannister when I was fourteen in Kings Landing. When I left after Joffrey's wedding I was made to marry Roose Bolton's bastard, Ramsay, by Peter Baelish. He assured me that I would be saved by Stannis Baratheon and would be named Warden of the North." It was obvious to Tyrion that she was holding back tears. Her voice got heavy and her nose red, but she continued. "I did as I was bid and married him. For weeks or months, I do not know, I was tortured in every way. If I can ask but one thing from you, your highness, it would be to have my marriage to Ramsay Bolton falsified on the grounds that I was already married to Tyrion Lannister, and was forced against my will by the Bolton's to go with their plan". _I've underestimated that girl. Then again, she survived my nephew, my father, and my sister._ What she said hit him then. Is she saying that she wants to remain married to me? _No, you fool. You're her way out of that second marriage, she'll figure a way out of this one too,_ he concluded sadly.

"Lady Stark, perhaps we could discuss this private matter in my chambers. I feel you do not want to share more information in front of the entire court." Sansa sighed in relief. "Thank you, your grace." Daenerys was just about to stand when Sansa interjected "Your grace? Could Lord Tyrion join us? I feel he deserves some explanation for my absence and my sudden reappearance." The Queen studied her for a moment, and then looked to Tyrion, eyebrows raised in question. He nodded and followed the two ladies to the Queen's quarters. He tried to catch Sansa's eyes, but she was looking decidedly ahead of her. _What do you want, girl?_ They were escorted to Daenerys' sitting room and were offered food and beverages. Sansa helped herself to a goblet of Dornish wine and waited for the queen to ask her questions.

"I am so sorry to hear of your family, and of your personal troubles as well, Sansa. Know that I am a fair ruler, and will annul the marriage between you and Ramsay Bolton as soon as I ascend my throne. I must, however, ask you some personal questions about your marriage with both Tyrion and Ramsay." She looked sympathetically at Tyrion before continuing. "Are you certain that you want Lord Tyrion present?" At this point, he felt he should interject. "Really Sansa, what happened between us was so long ago. You do not owe me anything." Sansa finally looked at him with that unreadable face, and turned her attention back to Daenerys. "If he does not mind hearing the answers, I would prefer him to stay". Tyrion nodded his agreement and the questioning began.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm having so much fun writing this, I can't believe I have 5 chapters up already! I've been imagining this story line ever since season 5 wrapped up, and just had to write it down. Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read and comment.**

SANSA

 _I'm exhausted._ She had spent the past two hours speaking with the queen, Tyrion listening along, about every horror she's encountered since her arrival in King's Landing. She had just finished explaining her escape from Winterfell when Daenerys asked Tyrion to leave the room for a few minutes. When the door was shut, Daenerys looked at Sansa with eyes full of sympathy. "Woman to woman, Sansa, and as your queen, I'm afraid I must ask you a few more questions". Sansa knew what they were already. "No. Tyrion and I never consummated our marriage. He never forced himself on me." Daenerys considered this for a moment. "You are no doubt aware of his reputation. Why am I to believe that a famous womanizer like Tyrion would deny himself the pleasure of his young, beautiful, virgin wife?" She asked. "He was shocked when I told him I was fourteen." I replied, "I could see it in his eyes that he would hate himself for doing that to someone who was no more than a child. Yes, he frequented many brothels prior to our marriage, but none of those girls were terrified children like me, and he did not have to force himself on them." _At least I surely hope not._

"From what I've gathered in my time with Tyrion, I'd say you're right Sansa. I'm prepared to offer you two options. You do not have to decide today, however it would be wise to be quick about it." _What options is she talking about? I have no options, I need to stay here in Mereen and fight the Lannister's. I need to be rid of Ramsay. I need –_ "Your first option is simple, I will annul your marriage to Ramsay on the grounds that you were already married to Lord Tyrion. I can then annul your marriage to Lord Tyrion, on the grounds of nonconsummation. The second option would be the same as the first, but you would remain married to Lord Tyrion. No one needs to know that it was not consummated if the question were to arise, since you've lost your maidenhead." She didn't say that last part without sympathy. Sansa just stared at her wide eyed. She suddenly realized that she had no idea what she wanted out of this. _I need a woman's advice._

"May I be so bold as to ask for your input, your highness?" Daenerys smiled, anticipating the question. "The decision is yours to make, however I will give you my take on the matter." She sighed and stood, pacing the room slowly as she spoke. "Sansa, I do not want you to be offended by what I am about to say. I mean no disrespect to your honor or to your character." She stopped to look at her. "I understand your Grace; I wish to know as much as I can before making my choice. Please, continue." The queen continued her pacing. "Very well, let us begin with option one. You would be a free woman, unmarried and answering to no man. When I reign, I will do my best to find you a suitable husband, as I assume you would like children one day" Sansa nodded. _If one thing hasn't changed, it's my desire for children to love._ "The problem with this solution, and I beg you to take no offence, is that you are no longer a virgin, through no fault of your own. You are young, beautiful, and you have a strong family name, but you know how difficult it is to be married under those circumstances." Sansa knew this already, but hearing it did not make the reality any easier. She could be a free woman and live her life as she pleased, with no one to answer to. However, she knew she could not have any legitimate children without a husband. She also wanted to reclaim Winterfell one day, and she knew she had to leave an heir for her bannermen. It is possible that Daenerys could find her a suitable one, but so far, luck had not been on her side in the area of love and men. She finally nodded, indicating for her to continue.

"I know you did not choose to marry Tyrion Lannister, though that is a reality for most highborn ladies to have arranged marriages to unite houses. I do not care for the Lannister family, and as you know, I plan to take care of the remaining few who are still in King's Landing. As you no doubt already know, Tyrion is not like his family. If that was not the case, he would be dead." Sansa nodded. "If you choose to stay in this marriage, your children will belong to two of the greatest houses of Westeros. I would give you both control of Winterfell and Casterly Rock." Sansa thought about this.

"If I chose to leave Tyrion, what of Winterfell?" she asked. Daenerys smiled sadly. "You know full well the traditions in the North. They would welcome you and protect you as a northerner, but they will look for a strong Lord for their home." Sansa knew she was right. It was a man's world, unfortunately. _I know that I am smarter and more cunning than most of the men I've met in my life. If I were I born with different parts, I would make a great Lord._ She looked up at Daenerys, who had finally decided to sit next to her guest. Surprised, she found her hands in her new Queen's. "Sansa, you've suffered enough in your short life. I wish to see that end and I wish to see you happy. I can find you a new husband, if that is what you desire. But let me tell you this: Tyrion Lannister is not his father or his sister. He is a decent man who would take great care of you and any children you had together. He would not hurt you. Do you still dream of a gallant and handsome knight?" Sansa creased her brow.

"My Queen, I thought once that I loved Joffrey Baratheon. He was gloriously beautiful, just like his parents. He was the most evil person I'd ever met; that is until I was forced to marry Ramsay Bolton. Handsome too, but in a different way than Joffrey, maybe even more so. But his style of evil was more hands-on. Yes, I thought I wanted a handsome husband and that he would be kind and loving and gentle. I was terribly wrong." She took a deep breath to stop the tears before they started. "I would like to speak with Tyrion alone, if I may." _What in the seven hells am I doing?_


	6. Chapter 6

TYRION

He'd been pacing the hall outside the Queen's chambers when Varys came to greet him. "Lord Tyrion, I trust you are having a pleasant evening" he said teasingly. Rolling his eyes, Tyrion sighed, exasperated. "You didn't think to warn me that Sansa was coming?"

"I expected you would enjoy the surprise." He answered lightly. "Besides, what would you have done differently upon her arrival? Kiss her hand and shower her with gifts? Welcome her home?" Tyrion rolled his eyes again. He knew his friend was right, of course. Still, some warning would have been nice. "Did you know about her marriage to Ramsay Bolton?" Lord Varys looked at his feet for a moment before looking Tyrion in the eye. "I had heard rumours. It takes much longer for me to receive my messages from Westeros here, you see. And by the time the birds reached my ears, no doubt the damage had been done." _What a choice of words, Spider. You don't know how right you are._

He almost left the room when Sansa started to describe the horrors to which she had been subjected at the hand of Ramsay Bolton. She went into great detail about his many beatings and how he tortured an old serving lady for information and showed her the body. She did not say whether or not he raped her, but it hardly seemed like that would be on his short list of things too despicable to do. No, he was certain that he hurt her in every possible way he could. _Joffrey, me, Ramsay… The poor girl cannot catch a break._ "What do you think they're talking about?" Varys asked to change the subject. Tyrion gave a short laugh. "I suppose they're trying to come up with an excuse to annul our marriage. I don't blame her. The poor girl has been through enough without having to –" Just then, the door opened behind him. Both women stood staring at Tyrion for a short moment before the Queen addressed him. "Lord Tyrion, Lady Sansa has requested a private conversation with you, free of any ears" she looked pointedly at Lord Varys "is this alright with you?" Tyrion stared at them, mouth wide open, not knowing what to say. "Uh… I… Umm…" he coughed and shook his head roughly. "Of course, my lady, we can speak in my chambers. Or if you would feel more comfortable, we could go outside for a walk". Sansa looked at him for a moment, then to Daenerys, and finally smiled politely to Tyrion. "I am comfortable speaking with you in your chambers, my Lord. Please, lead the way."

The walk to his chambers was met with an awkward silence. He led the way to his room, Sansa following respectfully behind him. As luck would have it, he had a whole portion of the palace all to himself, yet another benefit of being Hand of the Queen. He had to admit, it was much more enjoyable than being Hand of the King to his bastard nephew. When they finally reached the door to his private quarters, he hesitated and looked up at his estranged wife. She seemed surprised when he didn't just open the door for her, and she looked at him expectantly. _She looks nervous. Just what happened in that room when I left?_ "My Lady, you know it is not proper for a woman to be alone in a man's chambers without a chaperone" he ventured. Without warning, Sansa erupted into a fit of hysterical giggles. She could not stop laughing, and every time she looked at Tyrion it just made it worse. Her laugh was contagious and he finally found himself laughing along with her. When she'd finally calmed down, he wiped away a tear and asked her what on earth was so funny. "My Lord," she answered between stray titters, "did you forget that we are married? There are few things more proper than being in the same room alone together." With that, Tyrion cleared his throat awkwardly. _Where is this conversation going? What is she saying? Surely not..._ Shaking his head again, he finally opened the door to his chamber.

He led the way to his sitting room, where a large chaise sat in the middle of the room, and a chair on either side. The table in the center had been freshly stocked with wine, bread and cheese. He motioned for Sansa to pick a seat. She chose the chaise lounge in the middle, and waited for Tyrion to join her. He sat on the chair to Sansa's left, poured them each a glass of wine and handed one to Sansa. "Pardon my bluntness, my Lady, but may I ask why you wished to speak to me in private?" _Clearly she's going to ask for my help in annulling the marriage,_ he thought sadly. _Why am I sad? I don't even know this girl, not really._ She looked at him nervously, and took a deep breath. "My Lord, I do not know where to begin" she started, obviously at a loss for words. "You don't need to say anything, Sansa." She looked up at him, confused. "My Lord?" He put his glass on the table and went to his desk by the wall on the left. He took out a piece of paper and a quill and began to write. "My Lord" Sansa began again, louder this time. He continued his work. "TYRION LANNISTER!" _Who is this girl?_ He looked up at her from his desk, eyes wide and cautious. She was standing over him, obviously angry. "You _will_ let me speak. Sit on the lounge, now." Stifling a laugh, Tyrion obeyed. _So this is northern rage, I don't hate it._ He waited patiently for Sansa to take a breath and resume her seat next to him on the lounge. She sat closer to him than she ever had before. _Maybe I was wrong._

She started and stopped speaking six, no, seven times before slapping her hands on her lap in frustration. Clearly she was struggling with words. Tyrion was just about to say something when his mouth was forced shut with a soft, but insistent and clumsy kiss.


	7. Chapter 7

SANSA

The kiss was short, and it was less than experienced. She pulled away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She looked up at Tyrion hesitantly, waiting for his reaction. He looked clearly shocked, and didn't move an inch. Sansa fought the urge to laugh again, and thought about how, two years ago, any kind of kiss would have sent her hiding with her tail between her legs. _Alright, he isn't going to say anything._

"Tyrion, I need to ask you for something. I know I don't deserve it after all I did to you in the past, how cruel I was when we wed, but I feel I must ask anyway." He nodded, and sighed. "Sansa, I will write a letter petitioning for the annulment of our marriage. We can both move on with our lives." He made to stand again when Sansa roughly pulled him back on to the lounge. "For fucks sakes Tyrion, listen to me!" _I suppose I did learn a thing or two from him all those months ago,_ she thought, proud of herself. "Ouch! Alright, alright, I'm sorry" he said, rubbing his arm where she pulled on it. "I'm going to say my piece, you're going to shut your mouth and listen to the entire thing until I tell you I'm done; understood?" Tyrion smiled slightly, covered his mouth with his hand and nodded. Sansa snickered a little.

"Alright then, firstly, I'd like to offer you a proper apology for my abandoning you in King's Landing after Joffrey's murder. It was not my intention, but I was a child, afraid, and offered a way out of hell so I took it. You already know about the Vale and Petyr Baelish, I also told you that I was forced into marrying Ramsay Bolton." She stopped here for a moment, trying to fight back the tears that were sure to well up when she spoke of her time back in her childhood home. She took a deep breath. _If I am to convince Tyrion to stay married to me, I need to be honest with him._ She looked at Tyrion in the eyes and saw nothing but kindness and sympathy. "Tyrion, this is very difficult for me to talk about but I feel that I need to be completely open with you. I'm not a virgin." The tears finally welled up and were starting to freefall. Tyrion began to tell her not to continue but she held up her hand. "No, my Lord, this needs to be said if I am to have closure and move on." She took a breath and spoke through the tears as coherently as possible. "The night of our wedding, Ramsay brought me up to his room. He asked if I really was a virgin, or if I had lied to marry him. I told him that you had been nothing but kind to me and didn't force yourself on me. I foolishly believed that I'd get lucky twice. I don't know why I was so shocked when he ordered me to undress, but I started to do as I was told when I noticed Theon standing by the door. He averted his eyes and started to leave, but Ramsay wanted him to watch the girl he grew up with like a sister, 'become a woman'. I was about to argue when Ramsay turned me around, pushed me on the bed and ripped my dress from top to bottom. Theon was forced to watch the whole thing, and I was so ashamed and humiliated. It continued like this every night for the duration of my… stay."

Tyrion's face was twisted in agony. He looked like he was about to cry himself. "Sansa, I -" She stopped him with another flick of her wrist. "No. I said I wanted you to know the truth. Now you've heard it and you can make your decision." _Well, here goes nothing._ She got on her knees in front of him and looked up at his kind eyes. She didn't even see his scars anymore. All she saw was her beacon of hope for a semblance of a happy, normal life. "Tyrion, I am asking if, despite everything I've done, you would consider staying married to me. I'm not asking for you to let me in your private quarters or to take me to your bed, or to even pretend to like me, but –" It was her turn to be interrupted. Tyrion held up a finger to her lips. She stopped talking immediately and stared at him with desperation. _He's going to say no. I'm going to have to marry some old man or worse, I'll be childless and alone forever. He's not my knight in shining armor, but he's the best chance I have._ He slowly removed his finger, and put Sansa's hand in his two. He took a deep breath "Is this truly what you want? To be married to a dwarf? Sansa, there was no love between us and I meant what I said on our wedding night. I will not force myself on you." She absorbed what he said and smiled. "My Lord, my father and mother were married because his older brother, meant for my mother, had died. Neither was in love with the other, but they grew fond of one another, and eventually fell in love. Why can't the same be true for us? You said it yourself, a traitor's daughter and the demon monkey, we're perfect for each other" she said, laughing lightly. He smiled cautiously back at her. "If this is truly what you want, Lady Stark, I will do my duty by you. I will acknowledge you as my wife and claim that our marriage had been consummated in King's Landing in order to easily nullify your union with Bolton." She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you Tyrion" she released him and looked at her husband, "for what it's worth, I wish it would have been you."

"How should we proceed?" He ventured. Sansa blushed and started to stammer. _Does he think that I mean tonight?_ "Sansa, Sansa, relax! That's not what I mean. We won't rush this. We may be married but I would still like for us to get reacquainted and court before we move on to marital activities." He winked at her teasingly then. She let out a nervous giggle and motioned for him to continue what he was saying. "What I meant to ask was whether you wanted to announce this? Or if you preferred keeping it between us and the queen for the time being, we could do that. There is also the question of living arrangements." She didn't hesitate, not for a second. "My Lord, I do not want this marriage to be like it was before. I do not want it to be a farce or something people laugh about. We will announce our reunion as husband and wife whenever the Queen dubs it appropriate, and I will live here, with you; if that is what you wish, that is." _I didn't even think about whether or not he'd want me to live with him. What if he has a concubine he has to deal with first? Should I even bring that up?_ "Sansa, nothing would please me more than to share my space with my lovely wife." That made her smile. But something was still bothering her. _Oh just ask him already. It's not going to get easier as time goes on._

"My Lord—"

"Tyrion, Sansa. Please."

"Sorry. Force of habit I suppose. Tyrion, can I ask you something? I'm afraid it's not something that a wife, or any woman for that matter, would be asking a man, let alone her husband."

"Just say it, Sansa."

"Do you have a mistress?"

 _I can't believe I just said that. I cannot believe I just asked that. What is wrong with me?_ She looked stunned and horrified the second the words leapt from her mouth. Tyrion smiled widely and laughed. He looked at her so kindly. "My dearest Sansa, I have not taken a woman to bed, or anywhere else for that matter, since we stood together in the sept". She looked at him with doubt. _Really, Tyrion Lannister, master of the brothels, has been celibate this whole time?_ He sensed her uncertainty and continued. "It wasn't exactly by choice, you see. I had a whore before we were wed. I thought I loved her. I am sorry Sansa, but she was your old handmaiden, Shae. I was with her many times leading up to our wedding day, but swore to never share myself with any woman other than you, even if you never welcomed me into your bed." This news shocked her. He was serious. She remembered Shae, and it all made sense now. A new question entered her mind. "Why would you make an oath like that? Is it not commonplace for Lords to find their pleasures elsewhere?" _Why would you hold back for two years?_ "You had already been tormented by my family enough. I was not going to add my name to your list of Lannister's you despise." She smiled, and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Thank you Tyrion. Even in the beginning you only cared for my happiness and well-being. I only wish I hadn't been so stubborn to see it then."

They talked until the early morning light began to appear, drinking delicious Dornish wine and swapping tales of their travels. Tyrion was doing most of the talking. He told Sansa about his brother's return, how he was smuggled out of Westeros by Varys and came to be in the Queen's service. She loved hearing his stories, but did not share many of her own. Her past was much too painful.

"Sansa, the sun is nearly up. How will we function today?" He asked, yawning. Sansa considered this for a moment. "Well… surely Queen Daenerys could grant us two or three days to get reacquainted." Tyrion smiled at her and took her hand. "Come, let's go and find out. We need to present you as my wife to the court, after all." She followed him out of the room and towards the Queen's chambers. For the first time in years, Sansa felt safe.


	8. Chapter 8

**As you can probably tell, most of the POVs are going to be Sansa and Tyrion. The main focus of this story is their relationship. I will be adding some Daenerys scenes in there as the war approaches. This will probably be a really long story. The ideas just keep on flowing! Thank you all for reading. Enjoy!**

TYRION

He woke to sound of gentle snoring next to him. He looked at his wife and watched her. _If this is a dream, gods be merciful and let me sleep forever._ The past two days felt like a dream. This beautiful woman, who had once been his forced child-bride, came to him and all but begged him to keep her as his wife. If only she knew that he would have said yes no matter how she asked. He'd always been afraid to admit it to himself, let alone anyone else, that he had always had an eye for the gorgeous Stark girl. He remembered seeing her for the first time in Winterfell. She couldn't have been older than thirteen, but still she moved with grace and with the beauty that only a Tully and Stark combination could possibly create. He hadn't been attracted to her sexually, but even then he could see what kind of woman she would grow into, and that interested him. When she unfortunately became the ward of his wicked sister, she was tortured constantly by his vile nephew. He watched her get out of dangerous and deadly situations with nothing but her wit and sharp mind. For that, he admired her. He thought back to their wedding day, seeing her walking towards him in the sept. At fourteen, she was clearly too young to be wed, but still painfully breathtaking in her golden gown. During the weeks of their marriage, he had accidentally caught glimpses of her perfect, creamy skin. He had a sexual desire for her, yes. But it was much more than that. He admired her grace, her mind, and appreciated her beauty. _With all of the horrible things I've done in my life, how did I earn this creature next to me?_ He wondered. A knock on the door woke her up. She stretched lazily and looked up at Tyrion, smiling. "Make them go away" she whispered.

Tyrion laughed and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before jumping out of bed. He threw on his britches and a shirt and opened the door. "My Lord, we are ready for you." Podrick said warmly. "Wonderful, give us five minutes to get ready". He shut the door and faced Sansa. "Get dressed; I have a surprise for you". It was just about dinner time. They had spent the day walking the grounds, showing Sansa the sites, and talking. "What is it?" She asked, fixing her hair and adjusting her dress. Daenerys had wasted no time in ordering a closet full of gowns and dresses for Sansa to wear. Though she is a practical girl, Tyrion knew she enjoyed the pretty new things. "You know I won't ruin the surprise by telling you. Are you ready?" She stood up and reached for his hand, letting him lead the way.

They followed Podrick up many flights of stairs. Tyrion's legs were cramping by the second flight, but he knew it would be worth it. Sansa slowed her pace to match his, never letting go of his hand. After climbing what seemed like ten flights, they finally arrived at a door. Podrick held it open for them and gave the couple a small smile. Tyrion motioned for Sansa to go first. It was the twilight hour, the sun still sat very low in the sky, and the horizon was a deep shade of navy on the opposite side. He hoped she'd enjoy herself this evening.

"Oh, Tyrion… It's beautiful." He watched his young wife look around her with fascination. There were hundreds of candles surrounding them, blending in to the stars that were beginning to appear. It was as though they blended into the sky. There was a small table set for two near the far corner of the roof. Tyrion kissed her hand and led her to their seats. A delicious meal of pork, mixed vegetables, cheese, and berries was served with an aged bottle of rare Dornish wine. They ate and talked and drank happily. The meal concluded with a special treat of lemon cakes. Sansa felt like a little girl again as she dove into the treats. She was about to speak when the music started. Tyrion smiled as he saw that she recognized one of the songs that played at their wedding. "We never did have our first dance" he said, holding out his hand. Sansa took his hand and grinned. It was awkward at first with their height difference, but Sansa knelt for husband in the way she refused to do on their wedding day. They held each other and danced until the candles nearly faded.

They made their way back to their quarters hand in hand, each lost in their own thoughts. Tyrion felt happier than he ever had. Not only did he have this beautiful, smart, and talented woman for a wife, but she actually wanted him around. They enjoyed getting to know one another, he loved showering her with gifts and teaching her some of his favorite games. They reached their room and he opened the door for her. There was another gift he wanted to give to her. "Another gift?" she asked teasingly as he handed her the little box. "Another forgotten wedding custom, I'm afraid" he replied as he watched her pull out the ring. He had it made specifically for her. It was platinum with a row of diamonds encrusted on the sides. The middle sported a large sapphire the same color as Sansa's eyes. "It's beautiful. Thank you." she handed him the ring "will you put it on for me?" She held out her left hand for him, he carefully placed the ring on her wedding finger and kissed it. He let go of her hand and left her to get ready for bed. He understood why they were waiting to truly consummate their marriage, and he did not want to bring up bad memories from her past by rushing things. Still, sleeping next to her made it difficult to hide his desires.

They laid side by side, each wearing a night shirt and covered by a thin sheet. Nights in the south were hot and required no more than that. Tyrion couldn't decide whether or not to touch her. He did not want to scare her off when he just finally got her back. He was still going back and forth in his mind when Sansa turned to him and nuzzled into his chest. "Will you hold me, Tyrion?" He wrapped his short arm around her shoulders and stroked her hair until she fell asleep. _Sansa Stark, you overestimate my self-control._


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you so much for your reviews! I can't believe how many this story has gotten in just one day. I'm happy that I'm not alone in my love for Tyrion & Sansa together. I will be getting into Tyrion & Daenerys conversations and planning of the battle soon, I really wanted to set the stage for the reconciliation of his marriage first. As for other characters from the show, I can't say! I get my best ideas as I'm writing, so we'll all have to wait and see. Enjoy!**

SANSA

She was sitting on her bed, waiting in her shift. The room was dark, only lit by the moonlight and a fading candle in the corner of the room. Something was wrong. Suddenly the door swung open violently and a tall figure entered the room. Her heart stopped when she heard his cruel voice speak. "My darling wife; how kind of you to wait for me." Ramsay stepped into the vague moonlight, where he showed his wicked smile to Sansa. _No, no, no, no, please, no._ "Did you miss me, darling?" He approached her slowly, and cupped her face in his hand gently. "Please, not tonight. Please, I beg of you." She cried. He let go of her face roughly and took a step back, a disgusted look on his face. "What? Are you denying your husband? Oh no, sweet wife. That simply will not do. It seems you still have lessons to learn in how to be a proper spouse." He studied her for a brief moment before grabbing her arm and turning her around face first onto the bed. She felt his hands groping and lifting her shift above her waist. "No! Please! Please! No! Let go of me!"

"Sansa, Sansa wake up! Hush now, it's just a dream." She sat up in bed quickly, still panicked and afraid. She looked around her for a minute before she realized where she was. After a few deep breaths she looked at her husband. His face was creased with concern and his hand was still on her arm. "Are you alright?" _I am now._ She wiped the tears from her face and realized she was covered in sweat. She walked over to her wardrobe for a fresh shift, and splashed her face with water from the basin. When she finally returned to bed she looked at her husband. "I'm fine, Tyrion. Thank you for waking me." She could see the concern in his eyes wasn't gone. "I have an idea what that nightmare was about, Sansa." He began. "I hope you know that you never have to see him again, that you will never be put through that ever again. I am sorry that I couldn't protect you." She smiled sincerely and kissed his cheek. "I know." _I know he'll never force me into it, but at some point we'll have to._ It wasn't his appearance that scared her, not even her lack of experience. She had only had one type of sexual encounter before and it was never pleasant for her. It hurt and left her feeling humiliated every time, like she was nothing but a broodmare. She thanks the old gods and the new that he never managed to get her pregnant. _But what if that means I can't have children?_

"What are you thinking about?" She must have been deep in thought for some time. She looked up sadly at her little husband next to her and took his hand in hers. "I'm thankful to be here now. But," she began, not sure if she should continue. "Tyrion, I want children." She finished bluntly. Surprise registered on his face. "I don't mean now, but some day. I don't know your thoughts on this, or if it is something you've ever wanted, but of all my foolish childhood dreams, this is one that I thought I could still obtain." She looked at him hopefully. "Sansa, my Lady; if it is children you desire I will happily oblige." She saw a flash of fear cross his eyes as he spoke.

"But?"

"But nothing; I want you to be happy. If children will make you happy then I want that for you as much as I've never dared to want it for myself."

"Tyrion, I can see the topic makes you uneasy. Please, be honest with me. I can't take lies, even by omission. If you do not want children, or something makes you fear it, tell me."

He sighed audibly before looking up at her and explaining. "My mother died giving birth to me. Did you know that?" She nodded. Word travels fast in the Red Keep and this was common knowledge in court. "My father blamed me for it my entire life and told me it was because I was a dwarf. She simply could not survive the trauma of being ripped in half by such a monster." She was about to interject when he silenced her with a raised hand. "No, let me finish, please. I've never dared ask the gods for the gift of children. I never thought I would marry someone who would risk having them with me, let alone ask for them. If I married, I figured I would end up with some miserable widow who would never let me touch her, nothing but a union of houses." He paused and looked away. "Sansa, my childhood was miserable. I couldn't learn sword fighting with Jaime or play with the other children because they mocked me and father would not be embarrassed by me more than necessary. I had no love growing up, save my friendship with Jaime. I do not want my children to suffer the same fate, and I do not want them growing up without a mother."

She understood. _He thinks that if we have a dwarf child, I'll die in childbirth like his mother did._ "My mother birthed five healthy children and carried easily. Surely that must mean something." She said stubbornly. "Is it worth the risk? And if you did survive and was in perfect health, have you thought of the possibility of having a child like me?" She had to admit that the thought never really crossed her mind. She stopped seeing Tyrion as the disfigured dwarf that once repulsed her months ago. _I've seen monsters; they hide behind beautiful faces and strong bodies. This man is not one of them._ _But what if we did have a child who was a dwarf like his father?_ She thought about it for a moment before finally answering a very anxious and tense Tyrion. "I will love my children no matter their stature."

He shook his head. "You do not understand the amount of teasing a child will suffer because of it." _We are not your father._ "And you do not understand the love of a mother for her child. Your father was an evil man, a cold man not fit for raising children. You are so different. Our children will always know love, even if I died in childbirth; because I know their father would love them, and tell them about their mother who could not wait for their arrival."

"I could not live with myself if something happened to you because of me." He started to argue. "I'm not asking you to decide now. We're on the brink of war and perhaps now is not the time to make a decision. Just know that this is something that I've always wanted, and something you could give us. Please consider it?" They looked into each other's eyes before Tyrion gave a weak smile. "I already told you that I would give you children if you truly want them. I suppose we'll have to learn to live with my old fears." Sansa breathed a huge sigh of relief and broke into a huge grin. She nearly knocked him over when she wrapped him in a hug. "Thank you! Thank you!" She chanted between tears and laughter. "You certainly have changed Lady Stark" he said with a hint of humour. She pulled away and smiled coyly at her husband.

"That's Lady Lannister, My Lord."


	10. Chapter 10

TYRION

He walked towards the Queen's chambers in the morning, thinking about the conversation he'd had with Sansa the night before. _If she wants children with me that obviously means she's planning on sharing my bed at some point. But when?_ He was under no illusions. He knew that she was not in love with him, and she was certainly not ready for sex. _But she did say she wished it were me instead of Ramsay._ He thought hopefully. He wouldn't rush her and he knew it. But perhaps there was a way he could ease the idea into her mind. Just as his thoughts started to take a pleasant turn, he was greeted at the doorway of the Queen's chambers by Varys. "Good morning, Lord Tyrion" he said, smiling cheekily. Tyrion rolled his eyes and made to move past him.

"The Queen is not quite ready to receive you yet. But tell me, what's going on with you and Sansa in that bedchamber?" _What? Your birds can't find their way in there?_ "I assure you that it is none of your concern." He knocked on the Queen's door. A handmaiden opened the door and told Tyrion that the Queen would be ready in a few minutes, and to please wait outside. Varys gave him a "told you so" kind of look before continuing with his questions. "Has she spoken to you more about her motives?" Tyrion was confused for a moment. _Her motives for what?_ Varys saw that he was puzzled and specified: "Her motives for seeking Daenerys? Why is it that she wants to help her?" _Oh yes, that._ "We haven't discussed it, but I'm sure you and I can put the pieces of _that_ puzzle together quite easily. Her entire family was lost at the hands of the Lannister's; clearly she won't side with them in the war to come."

Varys seemed satisfied with his answer. "That was my theory also, old friend. I am sure you have noticed that our young Sansa Stark's demeanor has changed drastically since we saw her last." _Of course I've noticed. Who wouldn't?_ "Can you please get to the point?" Tyrion asked, exasperated. "I believe there are other motivations behind your wife's arrival to serve our Queen. She wants to spill the blood that killed her family." Varys concluded confidently. _Of course she wants Cersei dead, who doesn't?_ "Is that not the point of this whole war, to overthrow the king? Sansa's family will be avenged." Varys shook his head. "You are missing the point, my Lord. Sansa does not simply want their heads served on a silver platter for her. She wants to be holding the dagger that makes the cut." _That is not going to happen._

Before the conversation could continue, the door opened and Varys took his leave. _There is no way Sansa would want to go into battle for revenge, would she? She was raised to be a proper lady, to wait for her husband while he fights in battle._ But Sansa was no longer a fragile creature, to be left to sit aside. Tyrion sighed before joining the Queen. _This is going to be a pleasant conversation._

"Lord Tyrion! Do sit down. How was your reunion with Sansa?" Daenerys asked. Tyrion helped himself to a glass of wine and sat opposite his Queen. He smiled and took a sit of the delicious golden liquid before answering. "Better than expected, your grace. I believe ours will be a solid union." He replied formally. She smiled widely. "You're in love with your wife." Tyrion choked on his wine and it splattered all over his vest. He was sopping it up with a cloth when she continued. "I do apologize for being so blunt, but it has been rather obvious since I saw you together in this room. I could see it in your face when she spoke of her tortures the past two years. You smiled when she spoke highly of you. Yes, you care what happens to her, more than that; you're in love with her." Tyrion was gobsmacked and all he could do was stare unbelievingly back at her. _Is it really that obvious?_ He hoped Sansa didn't know how desperately true this was. _The last thing she wants is a lust-filled fool to admit that he is in love with her. One day, maybe._ The truth was that he did not want to be pitied by her on a count of his unrequited love. He said nothing and continued to clean his mess.

"She loves you too" She added, as though the point was obvious. His head shot up and he stared right into her eyes. She was smiling warmly. "She may not know it on the surface just yet, but trust me. Deeply, she loves you. Take care of her. Treat her like a queen and show her romance. Court her and compliment her and show her that men can be gentle and kind. Do not be in a rush to push your physical relationship further until she is ready. Trust me, Tyrion" she said, taking his hand and holding his gaze. "She will ask for it when she is ready. Until then, do as I have counselled you and continue to court her. Is she comfortable with her sleeping arrangements?" He was too stunned to answer right away. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "Y-yes your grace; she nearly demanded them." This made her smile. "That young woman certainly knows what she wants". If what Varys was right, he would need to broach the subject now.

"Speaking of her wilfulness, I'm told that she wishes to join in on the battle when the time comes."

"Yes, I'm afraid I've been told the same. A little bird, was it?"

"Your grace, I cannot – I will not have her hurt, or worse, killed."

"The siege is not for some time yet. This is not something we need to discuss today. I understand your fears and I share them. However, the Sansa Stark you knew in Westeros is not the Sansa we have with us now. If she wants to be there, something tells me she will find a way. We can discuss it another time."

"Lannister."

"I'm sorry?" She asked, confused. "Sansa Lannister". Daenerys smiled. "Of course, my mistake; Sansa _Lannister_ will be a discussion for another day. For now, I have a full day in court. Take the day off, spend time with your wife, woo her, and be happy." She got up and motioned for Tyrion to leave.

 _She is the strangest ruler I have ever served._ But he happily took her advice, and made his way back to his chambers. Then he remembered: _What am I supposed to do with all this new information?_


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! It warms my heart and keeps this story going! I'm getting dangerously close to having to change the rating to this story to "M". I'm still not sure how far into detail I'm going to go with** _ **those**_ **scenes, but they will be coming soon!**

SANSA

She found some peace in embroidering. She'd been taught to sew intricate designs on various materials at a young age. Since Tyrion left their chambers early in the morning to get back to his duties as Hand of the Queen, Sansa had been left in their quarters with little to entertain herself. She perused her husband's large collection of books, trying to find something that would keep her entertained for a while. When her newly assigned handmaiden arrived to bring her breakfast, she asked if there was anything else she could get for her. She didn't know why, but fabric and sewing equipment was the first thing out of her mouth.

She'd picked up a piece of grey cotton, a rather dull piece, but she had an idea in mind for it already. She sat on the window seat in a comfortable pink silk dress, her feet up in front of her on the bench, enjoying the feeling of air between her toes. She smiled lightly to herself as she stitched into the fabric, watching her vision come to life slowly thanks to her skilful fingers. She heard footsteps approaching the door, and quickly put away her work. She didn't want anyone to see it, yet. She expected her handmaiden would be back to collect her breakfast dishes, and was surprised when the door opened without a knock.

"Tyrion, I thought you were helping the Queen today, have you forgotten something?" He walked towards the table where the remnants of her breakfast sat, and helped himself to a grape before answering. "I was under the same impression, my Lady. It seems that her grace has a big day in court and will not be requiring my assistance today. It appears as though you get me to yourself for another day. Unless you had made other plans for yourself, of course I can find some other work to do." He added quickly, clearly not wanting her to feel forced. "That sounds wonderful" she smiled, "what would you like to do?" He seemed to think about that for a moment. "You look rather comfortable, and I am sore from my long walk this morning. Would you mind spending the day here with your old crippled husband?" He asked with mock sadness. She couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "I suppose I could survive the torture, my dear husband", she winked. She got up from her seat by the window and stretched her muscles delicately. She walked over to one of the sitting room chairs where they had sat together only a few nights before.

They played a few card games and laughed for hours. The wine definitely helped with the laughing portion. After their lunch had been cleared up by their handmaidens, Sansa got up and stretched again. Her joints were aching from sitting for so long. The wine must have been stronger than she thought, because she felt light headed and found the room around her spinning. She woke up on the ground, staring up at Tyrion. His face was half concerned, and half amused. "Can't hold your liquor, Lady Lannister?" Despite herself, she started laughing hysterically. She looked at Tyrion again, and her laughter increased at the sight of his increasing concern and fading amusement. In truth, she wasn't entirely sure why she was laughing. She finally calmed down enough to face Tyrion, still crouched over her. His eyes were boring into hers, the amusement showing once again. _I can hold your gaze longer than you can_ , she sang in her mind. As she stared at him, his eyes grew more serious; the amusement was gone and was replaced by an electrifying intensity. She could feel her features reflecting his. Before she could think twice about it, she pulled him down with her and kissed him fiercely. He was clearly stunned and pulled away after a moment. She felt a sudden pang of rejection, and looked into her husband's eyes. His face was full of confusion. She saw lust there, the passion and wanting that she's caught him in before. But she also saw pain and uncertainty. He looked as though he was about to return the kiss when he stopped himself, with much difficulty, and stood up. He held out his hand to help her up.

"Not like this." She took his hand, hurt and confused. She felt the tears well up in her eyes. "Like what?" She wished the pain in her voice wasn't as thick as she spoke. Tyrion took her hand and led her back to the lounge chaise and motioned for her to sit with him. She looked at him expectantly before he spoke. He took her hands in his and stared at them. "Sansa, I know what was done to you in Winterfell. You're still having nightmares about it." She knew he was right; the nightmares haunted her nearly every night since her escape. She said nothing but averted her eyes to their hands. "I will not make you engage in any physical aspect of a marriage until you are ready; and I certainly will not take advantage of you while you're drunk." _Such a gallant gentleman,_ she thought sarcastically.

She looked back at his face, still twisted in concern. "I am not asking you to sleep with me tonight." It was his turn to look down, a flash of regret on his face. _He does desire me, then._ "But I would like for our marriage to progress to something more than just the odd kiss and hand holding. Yes, the past has hurt me, but the present and the future can heal me. _You_ can heal me, Tyrion…" His dumbfounded expression indicated that he still didn't fully understand what she was saying. She sighed and tried again. "As you are aware already, the only knowledge I have is far from pleasant. I'm not expecting it to be fun or enjoyable, but I would like to experience making love the way a man and woman who love one another do it." Understanding finally crossed his features. "Sansa… you should know that I have very little self-control around you. I find it very difficult to resist you, especially when you attack me like you did." He said with a hint of humour. She was feeling quite bold. She didn't know if it was the wine or the kiss, but she leaned in until their faces were less than an inch apart. "Then don't resist" she started with a sultry voice, "if anything becomes painful or uncomfortable, I promise to tell you." She leaned in the rest of the way and kissed his neck.

"S—Sansa, please, stop. I don't want to hurt you!" He finally shouted. Stunned, she pulled away. He stood and walked towards his desk, needing to calm down. "I don't want to hurt you…" He repeated, this time his voice thick with sadness. "Sansa I…" _Where is this going?_ He took a deep, steadying breath. "Sansa, I do not expect you to feel the same. You have been through so much already and I know that I still need to earn your trust and your affections," he continued. "Tyrion, can you get to the point, please? You're tearing me apart." He hesitated for a moment, pulled on his shirt to straighten it, straightened his posture, and walked right up to Sansa. She looked up at him and waited. _Did he change his mind? Does he want out of this marriage?_ He knelt down on one knee, looked her in the eye and took her hand in his one more time.

"Sansa Lannister of house Stark, I'm afraid I have some rather unsettling news." For a moment she was petrified, until he leaned in and kissed her wedding ring. "I am irreversibly in love with you."

 **I know I'm a jerk for leaving it there! But cliff-hanger endings keep you reading! Thank you to my fellow shippers for the continued support. Hope you're enjoying the story so far!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Once again, thank you all very much for the feedback and helpful tips! I'm so rusty! I'm planning on starting a novel, and figured fanfiction would be a great place to start and practice writing. Plus, I'm hopelessly addicted to the idea of Sansa and Tyrion together, and could not come up with any ideas for my own book. I needed to get this story out first. I will try to update daily (maybe even more than 1 chapter per day!) but I don't think I'll break my record of 9 chapters haha! Thank you all for the continued support.**

TYRION

 _This woman will be the death of me._ He was frustrated, both sexually and in the usual sense. How was he supposed to resist this beautiful, broken creature? It took every ounce of his restraint to stop himself from devouring her when she pulled him into that kiss. _Why did I stop? Daenerys said she'd ask for it when she was ready. Maybe she_ is _ready._ No. He shook his head at that. She was clearly drunk and looking for comfort. He took another gulp of wine and looked over to the bed where said wife was sleeping peacefully. His earlier revelation had not gone quite the way he had hoped or expected.

"Sansa Lannister of house Stark, I'm afraid I have some rather unsettling news. I am irreversibly in love with you." He had waited for her to say something, anything at all. But she hadn't seemed to register that he had spoken and instead stood up quickly and vomited the contents of her stomach out the window. _It could have been worse, I suppose._ Although vomiting after an admission of love was hardly romantic. He helped her clean up and gave her a drink of water before leading her to the bed where she collapsed. She lay there, in the same face-down position facing him, snoring lightly. The sight made him smile a little and he wondered if she had heard him at all. He drained the rest of his glass and prepared himself for bed. After blowing out the last of the candles, he climbed into the sheets next to Sansa. She turned towards him instinctively and snuggled into his chest. He smiled and began stroking her hair until he fell asleep blissfully.

"Uhg… Remind me never to try to keep up with you in drink again." Sansa complained into her pillow, her voice muffled. Tyrion stifled a laugh.

"I presume you will not be having any ale with breakfast?" She turned her head towards him where he was sitting at his desk, reading a note from Daenerys which was delivered earlier that morning. She shot daggers with her eyes and resumed her earlier position. He smiled when he finished answering the letter and brought it to Podrick to deliver. He made his way to the bed and began stroking Sansa's hair. "Can I send for anything?"

"No, thank you. I think I'll just lay here and wait for the mercy of death." Tyrion chuckled lightly and walked back to the table where a platter of food was waiting. He grabbed a piece of bread and a cup of water, and brought it over to his wife.

"Here, eat this. It will help with the nausea. The water will help with your headache." She shook her head and argued that she was not hungry. "Trust me. I've spent more mornings in your state than I care to admit. Eat." She finally sat up slowly and did as she was bid.

"Are you not late to meet with the Queen this morning?" she asked casually. Picking off pieces of bread and popping them into her mouth, taking small sips of water in between.

"She sent a message to me early this morning, to which I have just replied. She has decided to travel to Dorne with a small party to try to gain more allies. She will not be back for a few weeks." _How convenient that she chose to do so now;_ he thought thankfully.

"Oh. I hope my Lord will not be bored" she teased. "I suppose we will have to figure out some way to keep you entertained which does _not_ involve getting your wife unbearably drunk." She added sarcastically with a hint of amusement before popping another piece of bread in her mouth.

He smiled at her sharp tongue. "Well if I cannot have plotting or drinking, the only entertaining talent I have left is sex" he said without thinking. _That came out wrong._ Realizing his mistake, his head popped up to look at Sansa again. She had stopped chewing and stared back at him. It felt as though hours went by before she finally swallowed and broke into a fit of laughter, leaving poor Tyrion baffled.

"You – should have – seen – your face!" She said between giggles. She was struggling to catch her breath and finally stopped when she realized that laughing was not helping with her headache. "Ouch, I'm never drinking again" she whined and dramatically threw herself onto the bed. She turned to look at Tyrion, who had ended up smiling despite himself during her performance. "Do not be afraid to bring up the topic of sex, Tyrion. It's something that is going to happen at some point in the near future and in truth, I would rather be comfortable talking about it before it does."

 _Well, let's talk then._ A mischievous look crossed his features. "Did you say _near_ future? Or have I misheard you?" Her immediate blush was extremely satisfying. _She does not look terrified or repulsed, that must be a good sign._ "Just how soon are you thinking," he added brazenly "in an hour or in a day?" Shock crossed his wife's features, followed by a small smile.

"You truly are a lust-filled beast, aren't you?" she still hadn't answered his question. She got up to get dressed for the day. She made her way to her wardrobe to pick out a dress when she added casually, "It will be soon enough, my love. Do try and be patient." She paused with her hand on a teal gown when she realized what had slipped out of her mouth. "I… I didn't mean… that is, I think… I do not what you to feel that you must…" her face turned a bright shade of red and she averted her eyes to the task at hand. She grabbed the gown and hid behind the shade to change. It took her much longer than usual, and when she was finished she all but ran to the vanity to fix her hair, not once looking at her husband.

He walked over to her, slowly and quietly. Still amazed at what he just heard. He stopped her hand, which was brushing through her hair roughly and held it until she looked at him. Her eyes were red-rimmed – she'd been crying so quietly he hadn't noticed. "Sansa, did you hear what I said to you last night?" She looked at her hands before answering.

"I thought I was dreaming. Everything from last night is a haze… I did not think it would be possible. You've been so kind to me, despite what I've done and how I've treated you in the early days of our marriage. I thought… I though perhaps you'd do your duty by me as my husband and perhaps become fond of me one day. I never imagined you could actually love a person who abandoned you and married someone else." She started to cry softly then. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back.

"My sweet, beautiful wife" he began, "it was no dream. I have loved you longer than I care to admit. You do not know what it does to me to hear you say it." He pulled back to look at her face. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Before he could pull away completely, she grabbed the back of his head, fingers blending into his blond curls, and kissed him with resolve. Instead of pulling away as he did the night before, he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss.

"It should have been you" she said as she caught her breath. She took his face between her hands. "I'm ready" she announced, before standing and walking to the bed. He slowly followed her, unbelieving of what just took place.

 _The bread and water worked much faster than I expected._


	13. Chapter 13

RAMSAY

"Where is she?" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Where is my wife?" _Just wait until I find you, Stark. You won't be as pretty as you are now._ He stormed down the stairs where he saw a small group against the wall. For a moment he thought perhaps Sansa had jumped to her death. He pushed through the crowd and stopped in his tracks. "Miranda" he whispered. Her face melted into the ground below, body twisted in unnatural positions. _I suppose I'll have to take of Sansa by myself,_ he thought practically. He turned on his heel and called for Reek. The usually punctual servant was nowhere to be found.

He searched the dog pens, sent guards to check the rooms. All returned fruitless. He was just about to organize a search party when his father approached him. "Ramsay. I believe we've found your plaything." Behind him were four men carrying a stretcher with a sheet covering a body.

 _So she found a way to escape me after all. The bitch can rot in the river._ Disgust showed on his face and he was about to walk away to his chambers when a guard lifted the sheet. _Reek._ "Was anyone with him?" He was starting to connect the dots.

"No. But there was a second imprint next to him. It seems as though he had broken her fall" _so he's thinking what I'm thinking._ "There were also many foot prints and hoof prints; someone has helped her to escape. We've already sent a search party, but from the looks of it she could have been gone for hours. Most of the tracks have already disappeared into the falling snow."

Ramsay nearly shook with rage. "Find her. Bring her to me alive." He made to leave when his father stopped him.

"We believe she has returned to King's Landing to seek out Lord Baelish. If we hurry, we can make it there and back with your wife before the long night. I have some business to discuss with Cersei Lannister and Petyr Baelish and was considering a journey there myself. We will only bring a few men with us as to not slow down the train." _It appears the plan has been made already, father._

"When do we leave?"

CERSEI

She only had one left now and she couldn't protect him. Joffrey and Myrcella both poisoned, and now that she and Margaery had been released from the clutches of the High Sparrow, she had less and less influence on Tommen every day. Margaery had been released peacefully and with her dignity intact when King Tommen finally managed to convince the High Sparrow to let her go. Cersei still wasn't sure how he had managed it, but beautiful Queen Margaery had won everyone's sympathy and love which Cersei sat more accused than ever, with everyone in court openly whispering about her and mocking her. She had no one now. Jaime went back to Dorne to deal with Ellaria Sand, whom he was certain was behind his daughter's death.

To make matters worse, she had some unexpected guests staying in the Red Keep, apparently looking for Sansa. Roose Bolton apparently married his ex-bastard son Ramsay to her, even though she was already married to her monster of a brother. They did not explain why or how she escaped, but they believed she would be seeking out Petyr Baelish. He proved useless to their cause and seemed rather upset about the news of her disappearance. They had sent several men out to search for any trace of her. So far it seems that she has vanished without a trace. _Someone must be helping her. That or she finally died a slow and painful death on some cliff side,_ she thought with a nasty smile. Weak Sansa Stark will not be long for this world if she did survive the escape.

 _At least that will be some good news to look forward to._

She entered her son's solar where he was looking over some letters. He looked up and smiled when he saw her. It was hard to believe that he was king. He was still so young and had a boyish charm about him. He stood up and kissed his mother on both cheeks.

"Thank you for coming, mother. We have some wonderful news!" Just then, Margaery entered the room behind Cersei, beaming.

"You haven't told her without me have you, my love?" _Little doe-eyed whore._ She walked over to Tommen and kissed him passionately.

Cersei feigned a smile and asked shortly, "Told me what?" Tommen and Margaery regarded one another, clasped their hands together and looked at her.

"I will be providing our king with an heir in just a few short months" Margaery said gleefully. She kissed Tommen on the cheek again before giving Cersei a knowing smile. _That is how the tart got out of there without being shamed. She was pregnant the entire time._

"What happy news." Cersei said with a false smile. _Now she's really got her claws deep in him,_ she thought sadly.


End file.
